Bed screen



AilgI-Z, 1947.- v. P. ,N. GREGORY 2,425,466

BED SCREEN Filed Dec. 5, 1945 2 Shees-Sheet 1 I IO FIG. I. 35

88 Invenfor 62 PAUL N. GREGORY Attorneys i P. N'. GREGORY BED SCREEN Filed D60. 5, 1945 FIG. 3.

Aug. 12, 1947.

" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

FIG.

lnveritor PAUL N. GREGORY FIG. 6.

Attorneys Patented Aug. 12, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED SCREEN Paul N. Gregory, Nampa, Idaho Application December 3, 1945, Serial No. 632,508

7 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to' a portable screen assembly which may be used in hospitals to shield the occupant of a .bed, for instance, while medical or other attention is being given in a ward, or to generally insure privacy for a patient.

While the particular use referred to above is contemplated, it will be apparent as the description progresses that the invention would be useful for other similar purposes and in other situations.

While movable screens are now used in hospital wards to provide some degree of privacy, they are usually quite inadequate and expose the patient to much annoyance and discomfort. Generally speaking, the screens now in use are only adequate to shield one side of a bed, and the attendants are not likely to take the trouble to move up several screens in order to give a patient the complete privacy he may require. For this reason, it is very'desirable to have a unitary assembly which will supply the complete privacy desired.

A principal object of the invention is to provide such a screen assembly of light construction which can be placed around a hospital bed when desired and having parts which can be conveniently and compactly housed when the screenis not in use so that the assembly may be moved to another location or placed aside in a corner of a ward or in a corridor of the hospital.

The assembly illustrated comprises a movable housing or cabinet-like structure which is adapted to shield one end of a bed, preferably the foot thereof, and extensible side curtain members which can be adjustably positioned along the sides of the bed to any length desired. The construction is such, that when the screen is no longer needed at a particular location, the extensible side curtains may be retracted into the housing to be carried by the latter, at which time the entire assembly may be wheeled away.

In the drawings, which are illustrative of a preferred form of the invention, and which are in no sense restrictive:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the assembly,

showing the manner in which side curtains maybe retained housed within the cabinet portion of the assembly, or extended to shield one side of the bed. 1

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of a portion of the apparatus, showing the manner in which a side curtain is supported by one of the movable standards.

Figure 3 is a lateral vertical sectional view 2 through one endof the housing, taken on about the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the preferred pulley arrangements within the housing for retracting the cables fora side curtain.

Figure 4 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4"4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of one of the standard supporting brackets on the housing, showing the standard supported thereon. I

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the bracket arrangement of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 of a modified pulley arrangement for retracting the side curtains. v

Figure 8 is a partial end view showing one arrangement for supporting the standard on the cabinet. p 7

Referring to Figure l, the main element of the assembly is a cabinet-like end structure made of metal, wood, plywood, or light composition material and having a top wall It, opposite end walls l2 and I3, a bottom wall It, and a rear or outer wall [6. The cabinet structure is open on its inner side, this being the face of the structure which is presented to the head or foot of the bed when the assembly is in position for use. Any available space within the cabinet may be used for storage of blankets, linens, medic'ants or the like. The housing may be of any appro-" priate length, depending on the beds or other objects to be screened, but it should be sufficiently longer than the width of a bed so that when the side curtains are extended, as hereinafter de'- scribed, adequate space will be left on each side of the bed inside of the curtain extensions, to

permit attendants to move about within the curtains while treating the patient. The cabinet should be long enough, for instance, to" provide a space of one foot on each side of the bed when side curtains are extended, or a space of two feet on one side of the bed when desired. While I have shown the housing in s'q-uare or box-like form, it will be understood that this housing may have its outer and end walls rounded to eli'i'ninate sharp corners, or it may be of any other shape to enhance its utility or attractiveness.-

The housing is supported in spaced relation to the floor by a pair of legs I8 at one end and by wheels 20 at the other end thereof, the wheels being mounted on a, shaft 22 carried by suitable brackets 24 depending from the bottom [4 of the housing. While plain legs are shown the drawings, they may be made of any desired shape or material, such as of twisted wire, to add to the attractiveness of the cabinet design. Instead of of the cabinet.

wheels, ordinary cas-tors might be used on a pair of additional legs at the end of the cabinet Where the wheels are located. By means of a handle 26 attached to the end panel [2 of the housing, the latter may be tilted so that it is entirely supported on the wheels 20, and may then be moved about the hospital or through the wards as desired. The legs 18 are of such length and the cabinet structure is of such depth that when properly positioned, the end of a bed is effectively shielded, with resulting privacy for the occupant.

When the housing has been disposed across the' head or foot of a bed, the sides of the bed may be shielded by an extensible curtain 28 supported between the housing and a movable standard 30,

the latter being any form of upright post having a.

floor base 35 of suflicient weight and area, to in-.

sure that the standard Will be self-supporting in by conventional connecting rings 34 which are i large enough to slide easily along the cables.

As best shown in Figure 2, the outer ends of the cables 3! and 32 are secured to an end rod 36 in any suitable manner, the drawings showing the ends of the cables passing through holes in the rod and having their outer ends knotted as at 38. The vertical outer edgeof the curtain may also be slidably attached to the rod 36 by conventional securing rings or this outer edge may simply be formed into a sleeve fitting around the rod.

As illustrated in Figure 1, suitable brackets are secured to the end walls 12 and [3 of the cabinet or housing, comprising upper and lower open aligned sockets 40. These sockets are adapted to receive a standard and to support the latter with its base elevated from the floor by means of spaced collars 42 on the standard, the collars being formed to rest in the sockets 40 as shown in Figures and 6. The sockets 49 are located at the upper and lower inner corners of the panels; I2 and I3, and their open sides 43 are large enough to pass the standards at when the latter are I hung on the sockets by their collars 42. The collars 42 are so positioned that each standard is supported on the cabinet with its base 35 oif of the floor as shown at the left hand end of the cabinet in Figure 1.

While I have shown the brackets iil secured on the end panels l2 and [3, they may be secured at 1 By reason of the above construction, the curtains 28 may be retracted into the cabinet and i the standards 30 hung on opposite ends thereof,

at which time the entire assembly may be wheeled to any desired location. While the upright curtain rods 36 maybe removably secured to the standards 30 by hook and eye connections 46 as shown in Figure 2, it is not'necessary that the 1 curtain rods be removed from the standard when the latter is supported on the cabinet. The curtains are atall times ready to be extended by v simply lifting the standards and releasing their I collars from the sockets on the cabinet, and moving them outwardly to draw the'curtain from its compartment in the housing. As the collars 42 are shaped to rest in depressions in the sockets,

as shown in Figure. 6, the standardswill not be displaced until, positively lifted and removed, It

and 14 near the corners may be fabricated of light metal, and the angular members constituting the'plates 53 and 52 may likewise be of metal, in which case they may be welded to the top, bottom, and end panels of the cabinet.

As best illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the pro- 7 vision of the L-shaped member at opposite ends of the interior of the cabinet results in the formation of open faced curtain gathering compartr ments 6!) on the inner side of the cabinet, the ear Walls 52 thereof being the forward walls of pulley compartments E2. The rear wall of each pulley compartment is the outer panellfi of the cabinet.

As the compartment and pulley arrangement is duplicated at each end of the cabinet, a description of the construction at one end thereof will suffice. Secured on the inner face of the end wall I 3 of the cabinet, and within the pulley compartment referred to, is an upper double pulley 64. This pulley is substantially in alignment with an opening 68 through the rear wall 52 of the curtain compartment 60 near the top of the cabinet. There is also a lower single pulley 36 fixed 0n the inner face of the end wall 33 and within the pulley compartment 62 substantially'in alignment with. a hole 70 in wall 52 adjacent the bottom of the cabinet.

In the arrangementshownin Figures 2 and 3, I the top curtain cable 3l passes through the hole 68, and over the inner sheave of the double pulley 34, whereas the lower curtain cable 32 passes through the lower hole Ill in the plate 52, be-.

neath the single pulley 66, and thence over the outer sheave of the double pulley 64. Each of cables 3! and 32 thence passes underappropriate and respective sheaves of. a double moving pulley 72 carrying a weight", and thereafter the cables extend upwardly and are secured to the top of the cabinet in any suitable way as at 18. Pulley i2 and weight 14 are thus supported for up and downmovement-onthe cables. It will be understood that in this arrangement, a separate' cable is provided for the top and bottom ofthe curtain 28, the'top" cable simply passing over pulley 64 and under pulley 12 to be secured to V the top of the cabinet, whereas the bottom cable 32 passes under pulley 66, over pulleyt l," under pulley l2, and thence is secured'tothe top of the cabinet adjacent to the securing point of the terminal end of the upper cable. Theapulley 12 and weight M are at their-lowermost position when the curtain is housed within compartment Bil of the cabinet, it being understood that atthis time, the corresponding standard 30 would be; supported on the cabinet in-the brackets 40.

When the screen has been placed across the end wall 52., to insure that the curtain is stretched when extended, but this arrangement is not essential. The curtain may be pulled throughout any desired length of the bed, depending merely on the positioning of the standard 30. When the side curtain is no longer desired, the standard 30 is lifted, from the floor, moved inwardly toward the cabinet and hung on the brackets 4i During this movement, the curtain is automatically and neatly retracted into the compartment 60 by reason of the lowering of the weight M, which in turn, draws the cables 31 and 32 through their respective holes 68 and Ill. During this retracting action, the curtain is, gathered in the compartment 60, as the rings 34 will not pass through the holes 68 and 10, but will build up against one another around the cable, but on the outside of the plate 52.

It will be obvious that variations of the preferred pulley arrangements shown may be used to retract the curtains. In the reduced and partially diagrammatic view of Figure '7, a modified arrangement is disclosed wherein the cables 3i and 32 are continuous, in the sense that they are connected at their inner ends or are extensions of one another. In this arrangement, there are two single upper pulleys 80 and 82 secured .to the end panel 13 near the top of the pulley compartment 62, a single pulley 84 fixed to the end panel adjacent the bottom of this compartment, and a moving pulley 35 having a weight 88 thereon positioned between pulleys 80 and 82, and adapted to move upwardly and downwardly in the pulley compartment. In this arrangement, the cable 3i passes through the upper cable hole 68, over the pulley 89, under pulley 86, over pulley 82, and thence downwardly around the pulley M and through the lower hole Ill in plate 52, the cable being designated at this point as the lower cable 32. With this modified cable arrangement, the standards and side curtains are operated in substantially the same manner as previously described.

The present invention offers complete privacy for doctors, nurses, and patients, comprising in reality a portable room within a ward. It is of such light construction, that it may be easily moved about, and it can be set up for use in much less time than would be required for three separate screens as now employed. The bedside space may be quickly adjusted by moving the screen. When not in use, the side curtains of the screen are protected from dust in their compartments. They may be conveniently removed for laundering.

It will be apparent that I have provided a screen assembly of great utility, yet characterized by pronounced simplicity of construction and convenience of operation. Because of its compactness and simplicity, hospital attendants will be encouraged to use the screen with resulting increase in comfort for the patients. While use in hospitals will be most important, the assembly may be useful at other places, both in and out of doors where a person may wish to recline in privacy. At institutions where there are a great many invalid or semi-invalid cases, this assembly will contribute greatly to their comfort and to their health.

I claim:

1. A screen assembly comprising a housing adapted to be positioned adjacent one end of an object to be shielded, a standard movable from and toward said housing, a curtain supporting cable extending between said standard and said housing when the former is spaced from the latter, a curtain carried on said cable which serves, to shield one, side of the object, and means in said housing for retracting said cable when said standard is moved toward said housing,

2. A screen assembly comprising a housing, adapted to be positioned adjacent one end of an object to be shielded, a curtain compartment in said housing, a, standard movable from and toward said housing, top and bottom curtain supporting cables extending respectively between the upper and lower ends of said standard and said housing when the former is spaced from the latter, a-curtain carried on said cables which serves to shield one side of the object and means in said housing for retracting said cables and said ourtain into said compartment when said standard is moved toward said housing.

3. A screen assembly comprising a mobile housing, adapted to be positioned adjacent one end of an object to be shielded, a standard movable from and toward said housing, said standard having a base which rests on the floor and being self-supporting thereon, a curtain supporting cable extending between said standard and said housing when the former is spaced from the latter, a curtain carried on said cable which serves 'to shield one side of the object means in said housing for retracting said cable when said standard is moved toward said housing, and means on said housing for supporting said standard in upright position thereon with the base of the standard elevated above the floor, whereby the assembly may be moved as a unit when said curtain is retracted, and said standard is supported on said housing.

4. A screen assembly comprising a, housing, adapted to be positioned adjacent one end of an object to be shielded, a curtain compartment in said housing, a standard movable from and toward said housing, a curtain supporting cable extending between said standard and the curtain compartment of said housing when said standard is spaced from said housing, a curtain slidably attached to said cable which serves to shield one side of the object, and means in said housing for retracting said cable when said standard is moved toward said housing, said compartment having means for slidably gathering the curtain on said cable when said cable is retracted.

5. A screen assembly comprising a housing adapted to be positioned adjacent one end of an object to be shielded, a curtain compartment in said housing having a rear wall with a cable opening therein, a cable passing through said opening and adapted to be extended from said housing, a curtain loosely carried on said cable which serves to shield one side of the object, when said cable is extended, and means in said housing beyond said wall for retracting said cable through said opening, said wall gathering the curtain in said compartment as said cable is retracted.

6. A screen assembly for beds and similar objects comprising a housing of length substantially greater than the width of the object to be screened and which is of height to shield one end of the object, a pair of standards movable toward and from the ends of said housing, curtain supporting cables extending between said standards and the ends of said housing when said standards are spaced from said housing on each side of the object, curtains supported on said cable which serve to shield opposite sides of the object, and means in said housing for retracting said cables when said standards are moved toward said hous ing.

7. A screen assembly for beds and similar ob- I jects comprising a mobile cabinet, adapted to be positioned at one end of the object to be shielded and being of length greater than the Width of the object, curtain compartments at opposite ends of said cabinet, said compartments having rear walls with cable openings therein, a pair of standards movable from and toward the ends of said housin 8 7 cables which serve to shield opposite sides of the object, means in said housing behind said wall for retracting said cables when said standards are moved toward said housing, said wall gathering the curtains in said compartment as said cables are retracted, and cooperating means on said cabinet and said standards for supporting said standards in upright position thereon with the bases of said standards elevated above 10 the floor, whereby the assembly may be moved as a unit when said curtains are retracted and said standards are supported on said housing.

PAUL N. GREGORY. 

